First Steps  Book 1  Willa's New Eden
by RAWIYA OZAN
Summary: The life and adventures of capsuleer Willa Murdoc in New Eden. Still a work in progress, I noticed that I need to do some major editing still. Hope get a sense of what this will be when completed. Enjoy!
1. Pirate Legacy

Pirate Legacy

-3rd Draft-

"Cadet Murdoc, report to Commandant Vasor's office immediately." Announced the mobile COM link on the bedside table.

"Damn it!" Pushing Arlie's arm off her belly Willa sat up on the edge of bed. Pausing for a moment to wipe the evidence of her love making from between her legs with the edge of sheet.

"Where are you going?" Arlie's voice was heavy with sleep and spent lust.

"Vasor's office, didn't you hear?"

"No, what does he want?"

"How should I know? I'll let you know when I get back."

Playfully Arlie reached around her waist and pulled Willa back into bed. "Let him find his own woman, your mine."

"Cut it out! If they send someone looking for me and find us together, I'll get kicked out of the academy and you will lose your officer's commission."

"I know... I don't want you to leave. I want to worship your beautiful body again."

"I'll come back, I want some more of this." Rubbing his crotch before untangling herself from his hands and headed for the shower.

Lavishing in the hot water Willa washed away the sweat and fluids from her body taking a moment to enjoy the feel of water hitting her skin. She missed water-showers, the cadet barracks only had beam-showers. It wasn't the same turning around under a disinfecting beam of light. Stepping out the drying beam switched on, standing under it she let the moisture evaporate from her skin and hair. She missed home. It was true she didn't have much growing up. Most people that lived planet side in the Republic didn't have much if anything. One thing that even the poorest ex-slave had on Onga was a water-shower, something that was considered a luxury on a space stations.

Willa returned to Arlie's bedroom and retrieved her uniform from the floor where it had been tossed in the heat of passion. Arlie was propped up in bed with his hands tucked behind his head smiling as he watched Willa dress. She didn't mind, he liked watching her transformation, from a sultry lover into a respectable trainee. Willa watched his reflection in the mirror as she dressed and fashioned her long red hair into a tight bun at the base of her neck. Smiling at his reflection, Willa slipped on her light blue jacket with the high tight collar that made her feel confined and trussed up. "Do you approve?"

"I like the other Willa better. But yeah, you look fine."

"Thanks, remember you promised could fly your ship. Before this uniform comes off again, I want a chance to see how fast I can make that Firetail go."

"Damn Willa, nice way to make a man feel wanted. Sometimes I think you love my ship more than me."

"Don't kid yourself Arlie, I do love your ship more than you. But I can't make love to an attack frigate so I use your body as a surrogate." Laughing, she grinned at him in the mirror. He wasn't very quick to smile back, he seemed uncertain if she was really joking. She wasn't but he didn't need to know that. "Whatever this is about, shouldn't take long. I'll meet you at the hanger in an hour. Then we'll come back here and I'll show you how thankful I am Captain Aurilius."

Turning towards him she clinched her hand into a fist and snapped it to her chest over her heart, saluting him before answering her summons by the Commandant.

With eyes focused straight ahead her long legs moved her rapidly through the crowded corridor to the track cab stop that would take Willa to the other side of the station and up eighteen levels. Years of martial arts training had given her the ability to dodge through the crowd without losing her stride or run into anyone. Although Willa was tall, a full two meters, she was also agile and graceful in her movements, never a motion wasted or misstep. With a soft hiss the pneumatic door of the cab opened and she slid into the seat in the small cabin. The door closed hissed close and a AI voice asked, "Destination?"

"Command level one." With a lurch the cab was set into motion as Willa watched the station interior glide past. The station's structure always fascinated her. The varied shades and colors of materials from which it had been built her wonder about the ships that had been recycled for the materials. The common joke about Matari stations and ships was, "In rust we trust. Made from only the finest wrecks."

The Minmatar Republic was new, compared to the other states in the galaxy. Only a few hundred years old and peoples with what remained of seven tribes. Nine hundred years of enslavement had set the Minmatar back technologically, economically and socially. Willa's people were a proud race and with the exception of a few they all would rather die fight over the last station scrap heap, then fall back under the yoke of the Empire. Looking out, blue, gold, green and brown patches of metal flashed past the window. She knew the bronze-brown metal came from their own ships and the shiny golden from Empire built ships, green from the Federation and silvery-blue from the Caldari State. Sometimes the station reminded her of a big crazy quilt like Grandma Ebony made from bits of old clothes.

"Command level one." Chimed the AI voice as the cab lurched to a stop and the door hissed open.

Sliding out of the cab, Willa continued her rapid walk to the Commandant's office. The corridors were less crowded on this level with fewer people to dodge. Entering the office a secretary in a Lieutenant's uniform quickly looked up at her sudden presence.

"Cadet Murdoc, have a seat." She pointed to a row of chairs by the wall, "The Commandant will be with you shortly."

Taking a seat Willa waited. It had only been a few months since her second term had started at the academy. The commandant's request that she report to his office had her recounting all the possible rules infractions which she may be guilty. Fraternizing with navy pilots stationed at the academy was the worst, Arlie and others. Willa wasn't interested in the fresh faced boys that where her classmates. She was attracted to men, battle hardened with experience. Men of this caliber loved the attention of a beautiful young woman that would look up at them in awe as they told their war stories. It didn't matter to them she was only pretended to be enthralled by them. Willa was after information that would make her a better pilot, they loved her attention all the same. Going over the possible consequences of having her dalliance discovered frightened Willa.

From the time she could walk Willa had trained to be a warrior, first trained by her mother then by her Aunt Jaxx after Willa's mother disappeared when she was thirteen. The prospect of being expelled from the academy didn't appeal to her at all. If she was expelled, it would bring great shame her and dishonor to her clan. Willa was only the second person from the Blackfox Clan to be accepted for pilot training, Jaxx having been the first. Acceptance into the Republic Military Academy had been an incredible honor for Willa. If she was kicked out because of sleeping with a few NCOs and a Captain, it would make it nearly impossible to returning home. Willa would be shunned by her entire clan.

"You may go in now." Willa's thoughts where interrupted by the secretary which had put her in a sour mood.

Willa entered Commandant Vasor's office and closed the door behind her. She stood at attention and saluted her commanding officer. Commandant Vasor sat behind a large communications terminal with several holographic monitors and data stream projectors. He didn't move from his seat. His large bulky body filled the large chair fitted with bio-jell cushions and neural implant connectors. He quickly saluted back then pointed to the chair beside his desk with a nod. Willa seated herself in the chair that faced two officers seated in chairs facing the commandant. "Cadet, these gentlemen have some questions for you."

Willa looked carefully at the two men in front of her. One was a Federation naval officer with light golden hair, pale blue eyes, round face and a broad build. He had an air of superiority that hung about him like an odor that made her instantly dislike and distrust him. The other officer wore a Republic Internal Security uniform he was light complexioned with dark brown eyes and brown hair that was slightly graying at the temples. He also had a tall slender build, he was Minmatar but not Brutor like the Commandant and herself. Which of the other tribes he came from Willa was unsure. He seemed a little more likable to her but Willa knew better then to trust either one. From a very early age Grandma Ebony had drilled into Willa the first rule of the clan, only trust family.

The looks on the faces of the men gathered before her and beside her made the back of her neck tingle. She knew what ever this was about it wasn't going to end well. The RIS officer was the first to speak, as the commandant's auto-transcriber hummed to life and recorded the events.

"Is your name Willa Murdoc of Clan Blackfox from the Brutor Tribe?"

"Yes, sir."

"Is your father Taskill Murdoc of the Brutor's and mother Willamena Blackfox of Clan Blackfox?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Is your maternal aunt Jaxx Blackfox of Clan Blackfox?"

"Yes, Sir." Willa hesitated for a second and gave the officer a closer look. His face was as neutral as a Caldari arms dealer's and didn't give her any clue as to where these questions were headed. _Why do RIS and the Federation Navy want to know about my family? _

The officer continued. "Have you had any contact with Jaxx in the last year?"

"No, Sir."

"Has anyone in your family had contact with Jaxx in the last year?"

"Yes, Sir. My grandmother, sir. She receives five thousand ISK and a voice message from my aunt once a month, sir."

"Where is your aunt now, cadet?"

"I don't know, sir."

"This would go better for you if you told us everything you know about your aunt. Are you aware your aunt is a pirate?"

"THAT'S A LIE! My aunt is a bounty hunter and business woman. JAXX IS NOT A PIRATE!"

"Cadet Murdoc! Sit down!" Willa could feel the booming bass of Commandant Vasor voice in her bones. She hadn't realized till that moment that she had stood up and screamed her answer at the man. She attempted to regain her composure and sat down.

"Jaxx Blackfox is known to have committed at least fifty acts of piracy and murder in the Gusandall system alone. She is a know associate and member of the deadliest gang of outlaws in the Republic. It would serve you well to start telling us all you know about her and her friends. If you don't cooperate, I have the authority to charge youself and Ebony Blackfox with aiding and abetting a wanted criminal."

"What! You're going to charge my grandmother with piracy, if I don't turn over my aunt?"

A dismissive wave from the Federation officer's hand, interrupted the answer as he rose and quickly stepped close to Willa. His chubby hand gripped Willa's chin and he jerked her face close to his. Hate filled the man's eyes as she locked her own hateful stare back at him.

"I want the names of Jaxx's contacts and last known location. You are going to tell me everything you know about her and you are going to tell me right now!" His face turned bright red with anger as a fine mist of spittle hit Willa's face.

"No I won't, sir. I don't have that information." Calmly she wiped her face with the back of her hand.

"You lying Brutor bitch..." He drew his hand back to strike he, she lost control of her temper. In one fluid motion she grabbed the officer by the throat, stood up, drew a knife from under her jacket, and threw him to his back on the Commandant's terminal. In an instant he was pinned to the terminal with a wickedly sharp knife at his throat. Two conflicting thoughts raced through her mind in an instant. _Kill him! No man treats me like a slave. Don't kill him, you'll go to prison._

Shaking with rage she stood there staring into the terrorized eyes of the helpless officer. Vasor's serpent-like reflexes prevented Willa's life-long imprisonment. His huge hand caught her wrist and twisted the knife away before shoving her back toward her seat. "Sit down Cadet."

Commandant Vasor's anger was evident as he slammed his hand down on the controls embedded in the armrest of his seat. A sickening ring of the metal probe withdrawing from his brain filled the room as the ocular implant over his left eye changed from a calming green to a frightening red. Standing to full height his nano-tattoos blazed to life covering his dark chocolate-colored face with fierce tribal designs intended to intimidate his enemies. Willa knew what her tribal brothers were capable of when angered. She immediately sat down. Vasor yanked the Federation officer off his terminal and flung him in the direction of his own chair.

"Captain Yaruard, you owe Cadet Murdoc an apology!" Vasor's voice boomed through the room as he glared down at the Federation officer.

"She is a liar. I want her arrested!"

"No one comes in my office and treats my Cadets like slaves. Apologize!" In this solar system and on this station Vasor's word was final according to the Republic's law. Commandant Vasor had a full naval fleet and five-hundred overly eager cadets under his command. Anyone that wanted to leave the system with their ship intact, was not wise to anger him.

_Vasor is on my side!_ Willa shot Captain Yaruard a taunting grin as he straightened his uniform with a few quick strokes.

"I apologize to Cadet Murdoc, for both my words and actions that have caused offense." Grudgingly he lowered his chin in a gesture of respect. Willa's triumph was too short lived for her to savor.

"Attention!" Willa sprang to her feet and faced Vasor at attention. Nervously she tried not to watch him pace across the office with his arms folded behind his back. Turning his attention back toward her, she noticed that his war tattoos had begun to fade, indicating that he was calming down.

"What we have is a failure to communicate. I don't know what your personal are with Jaxx sir, but it is obvious you have many. Taking them out on my cadet will cause you more grief than you know what to do with." Turned his attention to Willa, "Cadet do you have any information that you wish to give these officers?"

"No Sir."

"Would you give this information if so order Cadet?"

"No Sir, I would rather rot in prison that betray a member of my family." Willa looked up at him to her surprise there was a broad smile on his face.

"You are a lot like her."

"Who, sir?"

"Jaxx, she flew in my squadron when I was a Lieutenant. I recall she also had a hard time controlling her temper and had a tendency to be unpredictable."

"Thank you, sir."

"Cadet Murdoc, or should I say Miss Murdoc, that is not a complement or quality I want in my trainees."

"Sir?"

"I have been scanning Jaxx's file, she is a pirate. A very good one at that. Currently she is listed as one of the top twenty most wanted criminals in New Eden and has a CONCORD bounty of one hundred eighty million ISK on her head. I am not going to waste my time and the Republic's precious resources to train another pirate."

"Sir, I'm being expelled? I don't want to be a pirate. I want to fight the Empire and help free my people that are still held in bondage."

"Sorry Miss Murdoc, I'm sure Jaxx would have said the same thing to her commandant when she was your age. However, because your record was clean until this little scuffle on my desk and your marks indicate that you have the potential to be an asset to the Republic someday. I'm going to make it possible for you to continue your training."

"Thank you, sir."

"Don't thank me yet. To give you an honorable discharge and keep civilian law enforcement from doing as these gentlemen threatened. I have to charge you with the crime they suggested."

Willa's knees buckled as her mind screamed. _Twenty-five years for aiding a pirate!_

"Cadet Murdoc, you are being charged with; assaulting a superior allied officer, aiding the wanted criminal Jaxx Blackfox, and carrying a concealed weapon while in the presence of your Commanding officer. For these crimes I am sentencing you to three months hard labor at that Ral'fonar military work camp. If you maintain a spotless record, upon your release, you will be granted an honorable discharge from the Republic Navy and a recommendation that you continue your pilot's training at one of the civilian tribal schools."

Now it was Captain Yaruard's turn to gloat, "Ha, three months in prison isn't near long enough, but it is still prison where you belong."

Vasor turned on Captain Yaruard, "Shut up and get out of my office before I rip your arms off and beat you with them."

"Come on Captain, it is time to go." Said the RIS officer as he escorted Yaruard out of the Commandant's office.

Releasing a sigh Willa relaxed and considered her situation, while the Commandant ordered two military security officers to report to his office. She was shocked at how well it had went, all things considered. Her sentence was short, he could have easily sent her away for life and no one would have questioned it. Willa was going to prison for three months, what was three months hard labor compared to having grown up in poverty as a farmer's child on Onga. Sadly, she wouldn't receive the prestigious Republic Military Diploma and naval commission as an attack frigate pilot. She doubted that she would ever fly a magnificent Republic Fleet Fire-tail.

Civilian pilot school, the though of what future that held for her sent a shudder down Willa's spine. Picturing herself as an over worked, under paid independent or corporate freighter pilot disgusted her. Worse yet was the idea of ending up as a miner. A bad one at that since she was severally allergic to veldspar dust. None the less she was not going to return home in shame and bring dishonor to her clan. It would take her longer to learn what she needed to know and a miracle or two to keep from becoming fresh meat for the kill mill out in low security space but one day Willa would be a pilot.

Hands bound behind her in steel binders, Willa was escorted to the barracks to retrieve her personal effects before boarding the transport ship that would take her to Ral'fonar. While in her quarters Willa was given a prison uniform by one of the guards and her hands where freed long enough to strip out of her cherished light blue cadet's uniform and put on the shapeless red jumpsuit. Both guards looked on as she changed their only noticeable reaction was to the fact that Willa wore no undergarments. They suddenly seemed uncomfortable with her nudity. Taking a second Willa caressed the tattoo on her upper arm of a black fox that her grandmother had placed there. In this moment with everything she had planned her whole life for having been striped away. Willa knew now what it meant to be a member of Clan Blackfox. They adapted and survived, no tears, protests or struggles, they just dug down deep within themselves and went on. Quickly Willa put on the red prison uniform and offered her hands back to the guard so he could reattach the binders.

Walking through the hanger escorted by two armed guards, Willa noticed Arlie waiting for her near his Fire-tail. She didn't bother to look at him. She calmly followed her escort to the waiting ship. Seeing her like this Willa hoped he understood that it was good-bye. In a few months he would forget her and find someone new. Stepping onto the boarding lift, Willa looked across the hanger at the patch work walls and thought, maybe life is like those crazy designs, totally random and unpredictable.

###


	2. Rookie Hell

Rookie Hell

Standing on a high platform overlooked the hanger that held her new ship, Willa looked out over the expanse and marveled at the large array of ships moving in and out of the station's hanger array. Ships of every size and from every race that inhabited New Eden: monstrous bulging Gallente freighters, wide flat Caldari battle cruisers, shiny rounded Amarrian battleships and of course every make and model of rusty Minmatar vessel imaginable, from tiny rookie ships called Reapers which resembled some sort of mechanical insect, elegant looking frigates called Rifters rumored by many to be the best all around ship in New Eden to the huge cavernous mouthed Typhoon battleships that looked like hungry monsters with their mouths open for a feeding frenzy.

From her location on the observation platform high above the hanger floor Willa couldn't even see her ship suspended over the gravity-well where it was docked. Pathetically small Willa's ship wasn't much to look at compared to other ships in space-dock at the Brutor Tribe's station at Rens VI. It was just a tiny rusty second-hand Reaper that she had picked up cheap from a shady looking Thunker male with a patch over one eye and a hideous scar down the side of his face. He hadn't given Willa his name and he was in a big hurry to get the deal over and be off the station as quickly as possible.

"My Ship!" Willa said to herself repeatedly as she stood there looking down where she knew it was docked. The sound of the words were sweet as she said them.

It was the first thing Willa had ever fully owned. Even the clothes Willa had worn growing up were not hers, they belonged to her clan. When Willa no longer need them or couldn't wear them any longer they would be passed on to someone younger and in greater need than herself or they would be recycled into something useful.

Thinking back about her home and how different her life was now, just one short year ago. At times it seemed as though she had only left her home on Onga a few days ago, other times it seemed like she had already been away for a life time and wondered if anyone at home would even recognize her now.

Willa's short time at the Republic Military Academy had ended abruptly only to be followed by months of hard labor at the Ral'fonar prison camp in the Auga system, _bloody foul place that was_. When first sent there Willa hadn't been too concerned, minimum security, labor camp, mostly military inmates there for disciplinary reasons. No problem, Willa had though as she boarded the transport that would take her to one of the harshest habitable planets in the Minmatar Republic, and just barely in the Republic at that. Solidly inside the war zone, the Auga system was on other side of hell, better know as Amamake, from the rest of the Republic. Auga was in the hotly contested region where the Minmatar Republic Navy and Tribal Liberation Forces clash daily with Amarrian Imperial Navy and 24th Reclaiming Forces to see who would control the seven systems between the two bitter enemy's territory. That was if the Gallente Federation or the Caldari State Navies and their allied pilot factions aren't too busy with each other to join in the fight. When the Gallente showed up they would bring their squadrons of drone slinging Megathron battleships to the side of the Republic and the Tribal Forces. While the Caldari and their heavily missile armed Drakes and Ravens would assist the Amarrian Empire. Of the planets in the Auga system the Republic only controlled the third planet from the star. Auga III was home of Ral'fonar prison camp was located. It was also the site where the Republic Navy was building an advance base to assist with future offensives to take control of the entire system.

Auga III had a thin atmosphere that didn't allow for any kind of moderation in temperature, horridly hot during the day and bitter freezing at night. It was also a wet planet, if it wasn't raining it was snowing. Inmate Willa had been assigned to one of the building crews that was working on the military installation expansion.

From can't see in the morning till can't see at night, Willa and her fellow inmates would work. Pity the crews that had to dig anything on that cursed planet's surface. In the morning one needed a pick and explosives to scratch the frozen ground by mid-day one needed a bucket to bail the soupy mud. If they weren't stumbling over razor sharp frozen ground we were wading knee deep in muck. Thankfully, they had been well fed and housed. At least the Minmatar military took care of their own, even in prison.

The day of her release from prison and honorable discharge from the navy Willa rented a room with a hot-water shower and stood under it for three hours. That had been the closest to heaven Willa had ever felt. The following day Willa applied to the Brutor Tribe's civilian pilot school.

That had been five months ago. How her tuition for pilot's school had been paid and by whom Willa still unsure. She assumed with a fair amount of certainty that Jaxx had something to do with it. Willa was still bitter that Jaxx had been the cause of her expulsion from the Academy and time at Ral'fonar. When Willa had a brief moment of clarity and was honest with herself, she recognized that she was the one that manage to get herself sent to prison. Jaxx's criminal pass merely set up the situation that Willa let get the better of her.

Two days ago Willa had graduated from pilot school and a few hours ago she had completed the deal with the shady Thukker and took delivery of her Reaper. Willa could forgive Jaxx a little when she looked at her minicule ship smiling. "Damn I'm a pod pilot!"

"Congratulations." From behind her a deep husky voice interupted her thoughts. Willa spun around with her hand on the knife she kept in a belt at her waist. She came face to face with a stout Brutor male; wide, heavy set, no taller than herself, with the all to common white eyes of blindness that plagued many of her tribal brothers and the heavy spiky head of a Khuumak poking above his right shoulder. Khuumaks were totems of pride and freedom to the Minmatar, as well as weapons. A flat round metal head with seven metal spikes radiating like a sun attached to a long handle. Once carried by Amarrian slave holders as a symbol of authority over her people. Until the day one brave slave picked up his masters totem of oppression and beat him to death with it. Since that time they had been the symbol and weapon of choice for rebelling slaves and any truly patriotic Minmatar. Khuumaks where now outlawed contraband in the Amarrian Empire.

"Thanks, do I know you?"

"No you don't know me, but I know you, Willa Murdoc." His broad friendly smile beamed at her confusion.

"Who are you then and how do you know me?"

"That is something we shouldn't discuss in public. There are many people watching you. Some friendly and some not so friendly."

"Which one are you?"

"Friendly."

"Can I at least know your name?"

"Check your bank account. Then you will know my name." Turning he joined the throng of people passing, melted into the crowd and was quickly lost in the mass of humanity of the busy station. Pulling out her data-pad from a pouch on her belt Willa checked her account records.

**Willa Murdoc has received 2,000,000 ISK from Frisbie.**

Shock visibly rocked Willa's body as she stared at the deposit entry. Two-million credits was a huge amount of money for a rookie like herself. The average family on Onga might earn five-hundred credits in a year if they were lucky enough to have a job. Planet side most people were paid in chits, the slang for the Republic's official currency. Interstellar Kredits also known as ISK, were the hard currency of New Eden. Accepted everywhere in the galaxy and the only valuable currency a lucky Minmatar may see in his life. Willa had two-million ISK right now! The thought of it boggled her imagination. Willa could retire right now and live the rest of her days on Onga very comfortably.

Becoming a lady of leisure held no appeal to Willa, she was young, strong, adventurous, and above all else wanted to follow in the footsteps of her ancestors fighting the Amarr. Willa's biggest regret was that while she has been slogging through the mud of Auga the Elders' War had begun. To have been a part of the fleet that rescued the last remaining members of the Starkmanir tribe would have been a glorious honor for Willa Murdoc.

From the age of eight, Willa had been raised by her maternal grandmother Ebony Blackfox. Ebony was not only the matriarch leader of the Blackfox Clan she was also a very strict traditionalist and had raised her daughters and Willa to always honor the Elders above any Gallente imported government system the Republic functioned under. As a strict traditionalist Ebony also would not tolerate "lazy young'uns" that didn't respect and practice the old traditions of their race, tribe, and clan.

One of the Blackfox clan's long held traditions was that the young women were the bread winners and warriors. It had only been since the formation of the Minmatar Republic that males over the age of eighteen were even allowed to stay within the clan. Willa's parents had the first union recognized by the clan in it's nine-hundred year history. Making Willa the first female of the matriarchal line to not have the Blackfox surname.

Small as their numbers were, the Blackfoxes had supplied an endless line of rebels, freedom fighters and soldiers over the centuries. War with the Amarrian Empire had been Willa's family business for over nine-hundred years. Willa wouldn't be the last of her line to follow that path. She was only the second of her clan to become a pod-pilot, her maternal aunt, Jaxx Blackfox was the first.

Nervous, excited and disappointed all in the same instant, she watched the throngs of pilots, passengers, soldiers, traders, miners and other assorted types of humanity pass along the corridor. Willa's training was now behind her and her career as a capsuleer was stretched out before her. Willa stood at a crossroad, from being one of the planet bound to becoming one of the immortal star travelers of New Eden. A new class of humans, demi-gods in their own right for those that made it and survived the rigors of the first few years.

Willa had always hoped that this day would have been in the service of the Republic and not for some menial pursuit of commerce, however that was not possible now. Willa had responsibilities to look after, namely Grandmother Ebony and her clan since Jaxx could no longer help support the planet bound members of the clan.

Times like this often led Willa to recall the events that lead to her expulsion from Military School. "Damn my temper," she thought with a silent vow to keep it in check in the future.

An alarm went off on the her data pad she still held in her hand, quickly glancing down she saw the flashing reminder of the next major step in her career. It was time to meet her new mission agent. Leaving her vantage point over the hanger, Willa headed toward the agent offices that were located in an adjacent corridor near the hanger array.

Getting to the office took some time for Willa. Even though she had been on far more crowded and busy stations than this one, dealing with the crowds was something she still couldn't get use to. She always seemed to find herself dodging or bumping into people that seemed to know where they where going, while she fumbled along trying to get where she wanted to go.

After a few harried minutes in the corridors Willa arrived in front of the long glass fronted offices of the Brutor Tribe Bureau. I was the largest employer of capsuleers on the station and the only one that offered mission work for rookie pilots like Willa. Stepping through the large glass doors Willa walked up to the terminal where a secretary sat behind many large halo-metric monitors. She had a data ocular implant similar to the one Willa had recently had implanted that enhanced her ability to interface with a ship's monitoring systems. The secretary asked her name and pilot permit number then told her to be seated in the waiting area. She took a seat near a stern looking man from the Sebiestor tribe. He didn't look very pleased to be there. He was grumbling to himself and scanning through data on a pad. Willa sat there looking around the room at all the other pilots that were here for the same reason as Willa, to meet a charter agent.

The disgruntled Sebiestor looked up at her and said "That kind of behavior will get you killed out there." He pointing toward the hanger with his data pad.

Willa was surprised, she didn't know she was behaving any particular way. "I don't understand, sir."

"There you go again, another telling sign of a real noob." His lip curled as he glared at her.

With a blank look on her face Willa just looked at him. She didn't know how to get the man to explain what he was talking about without looking like the fool, he obviously thought she was.

"Listen here, this is the best piece of advice that you will get." The man said with a huff. "Out there, best to keep your head down. See and know all you can about everything and everyone around you. Don't let them know that you know and don't let them see you watching them. Secondly, drop the polite. It don't work. It isn't all about flying ships you know it's a mind game. You need to master the art of bluff first, deception second." The man continued, "I already know that you are from one of these backward little planets around here." He flicked at her coat collar that she had bought before leaving home. "You have spent sometime in military training. Because you are here and not down in the naval barracks right now something happened and you ended up in this hell hole to finish your training. Am I right?" He grinned at her and waited for an answer.

Willa was dismayed, she had always considered herself to be good at keeping her own counsel, but this stranger had read her like a book. "Yes, you are." She made sure to drop the "sir" habit she had picked up in Military School.

"You learn fast." The man nodded his head in approval. "There is hope for you yet." He looked her up and down said, "not bad looking either, got any plans for later on."

Willa looked him straight in the eye. "No, unless I change my mine and decide it would be worth the effort to carve up a nosy Seb."

He broke out in a hardy laugh, "You'll do. Any female that can stare me down like that has got what it takes." He went back to his data pad and began grumbling again.

Willa began pondered the brief encounter with the man, her name was called by the secretary. Willa returned to the desk and was told to go to office 27. She walked down the long hallways with office doors on either side. Toward the end of the hall she came to the office. She tapped on the door once and entered. She entered into a small crowded office that had a small desk with a small Sebiestor woman sitting behind it. She stood and offered Willa her hand, "I'm Einulfolf Amunnjorn and you must be Willa. Glad to met you." Willa shook the woman's strong hand and sat in the chair Einulfolf indicated.

Einulfolf turned to her communication terminal and entered Willa's name and pilot identification code. "Let's see what we can find for you." She said smiling at Willa. Einulfolf started reading over the information nodding her head and smiling "Yes, very good, Willa I see that you attended Republic Military School, very high recommendation from the Commandant I see. According to this you left due to family hardship, that's okay, we always need good pilots that have some military traning." She said looking up at Willa and smiled again. "Very good marks from your instructors, this all looks very good." Einulfolf scrolled down a little and read further, the smile slowly fading. "Hum." Einulfolf murmured and began to frown. Einulfolf looked at Willa with a sour look on her face. "Were you aware that you have a CONCORD warning on your record?"

Willa could feel the anger in her start to grow. Taking a deep breath she regained some control. "No, I wasn't."

Einulfolf read the data. "A know associate of wanted criminals." Einulfolf pointed at the view screen. "I'm sorry Willa, but I have very little at I can give you."

"Is there any work you can give me?"

Einulfolf looked at Willa sitting across from her, eyes blazing and sitting rigid and straight. She could tell this young woman was struggling with her own internal demons and yet was still maintaining control of herself, unlike most Brutors she had dealt with in the past.

Einulfolf studied Willa for a moment then made up her mind. "What the hell. I'm going to take a chance on you, if you do a good job then maybe I can get your standings with the Brutor tribe high enough that this little notation will work in your favor. Mind you, you will never be able to take missions that allow you to handle sensitive data, but it will get you in with tribal security force. Which if Willa am not mistaken is not far from where you wanted to be." The agent finished with a smile.

Willa could feel herself beginning to relax, nodding to the agent as a sign of gratitude and respect. Einulfolf started clicking through information on the terminal. "No. No. No. Ah ha, this will do. I have a mission for you, the Republic is in need of supplies for the security forces at Amamake, but can't find anyone willing to take them there. Are you up to it?"

Willa though for a moment, she had heard about Amamake it was considered by some as one of the most dangerous systems in the entire region of Heimatar. Amamake was infested with pirates and outlaws that preyed on supply ships. Amamake was also a key system for the Matari, because it was the fastest route from the trade hub at Rens in the Heimatar region and key systems in the Metropolis region that the Republic was trying to bring under Minmatar control and settlement.

"This is a suicide mission." Willa thought to herself but what choice did she have? If she didn't take it she might as well go down and sign up with a mining corporation and become a transport pilot. Sure it would pay the bills and she could support her family but it was one of the most boring jobs in all of New Eden. With a sigh of resolve she said "I'll do it."

"Excellent." The agent handed a data pad to Willa. "Here is your manifest, just show it to the warehouse supervisor and he will get you loaded up." Willa took the pad, stood up straight and thanked the agent before walking out of the office.

Without looking at anyone, Willa walked quickly with a her long purposeful stride that caused people to move out of her way, straight to the nearest lift that would take her to her quarters in the pilot section of the station. She entered her small room and leaned against the wall. Dropping her chin to her chest she looked blankly at the data pad in her hand.

So this was going to be her punishment for attacking a CONCORD officer in a fit of rage, a death sentence. Suddenly she felt very alone and for the first time in her life vulnerable. She tossed the data pad on the small bed in the corner of the room and sat in the chair by the door. Lean over she raked her fingers through her hair and rested her forehead against her palms. Willa sat like that for several moments trying to muster her resolve and courage. She shook her head. "Shake it off, Willa." Standing again she went to the mirror to look at herself. Flashing a big wide mouth grin at her own reflection he winked at herself. "You can do it." She turned away from her reflection and quickly threw her belongings in her gear bag and grabbed the data pad off the bed. As she passed by the mirror on the way out Willa grinned a wicked little grin at herself, and said "Let's introduce Willa to these bastards!"


	3. Primal Rage

Primal Rage

Willa awoke with a start, disorientated, an overhead light glared in her eyes. Causing her head hurt ever more. Pain in her limbs made it hard to move, she turned her head to get the light out of her eyes.

"Wondered how long you would sleep," said a deep male voice.

Willa jerked her head to see who was in the room with her, pain shot through her body, she groaned.

"Relax, you are safe here," the voice said in a calming tone. Willa moving with great care, slowly turned over and got her eyes to focus on the source of the voice. In a chair near by was a very large Brutor man, sitting with his arms folded across his chest and a relaxed smile. Willa was confused and suspicious, she glared at him, trying to figure out where she was and how she got here.

The man laughed, "Damn, now I see the family resemblance." Willa tried to speak but could only get out a hoarse, "Where?" Through her painfully swollen lips.

"Not surprising you don't remember much," he said with a chuckle. He rose from his chair and went to get a drink for Willa. He approached her slowly, and handed her the glass, then backed away. Willa tried to sip the liquid which caused her to wince with pain, she realized her lips were swollen and cut. Carefully she tried again, the cool liquid made her sore mouth and parched throat feel better. After a few more sips, her head was till throbbing but her mind was clearer and she felt like she could speak.

"Who are you?" Willa asked.

"I have may names, most know me as Ashihei but my friends just call me Ash," he replied with a friendly smile. Willa wasn't ready to accept this man's friendship, but he seemed to be fairly good natured. "What do you remember Willa?" he asked.

Willa's guard came back up. "How does he know my name?" she wondeered to herself. She tried to sort out the last thing she remembered before waking. There were a lot of dream-like images swirling around in her head, the last clear image she had was of her ship blowing up around her.

"My ship blew up," she answered.

"I was afraid of that, maybe best you don't remember too much. I imagine that you were drugged most of the time," Ash said, shaking his head a little.

Confusion overtook Willa again, and she looked at Ash questioningly.

"You were kidnapped, Willa," Ash stated in a flat tone. Willa set the drink down and rested her head on the pillows. Closing her eyes she listened to Ash's calm voice.

"Two weeks ago you where reported missing. Jaxx sent me to find you," he said. Willa looked at him again, he was sitting in the chair relaxed as before. Willa started to let herself relax, images and events started piecing themselves together.

She remembered completing her mission to Amamake, and had joined a group of other rookie pilots, trying to get out of the system. While waiting for traffic to clear near the gate, so they could make a run for it, the group opened fire on her. She was unprepared and had no chance to even fire back. The concussion of the ship blowing up around her pod left her dazed. She remembered the blue light of a tractor beam engulfing her pod and being towed into the cargo bay of a destroyer. Her pod was opened and a hand reached in, injected her with something. After that there was nothing but the dream images.

"I was drugged." She said looking blankly at the ceiling.

"Do you remember anything?" Ash asked.

"I think so, some, not really clear," She replied.

"Well the guys that took you, are use to the smaller races, and probably didn't take in to account your size and Brutor resistance to some drugs," Ash commented.

"How did you find me?" Willa asked.

Ash's laughter filled the room. "Wasn't hard really, your aunt has been keeping tabs on you and when she found out you were missing, she tracked down your last known location. Then just called her contacts they discovered where you were. You really don't know her all that well do you?" He asked. "Once I arrived, there was plenty of people that knew where to find you, underworld was quite impressed by you. Seems like you were quite the attraction."

Willa looked at Ash again and then around the room slowly. She brought her hands near her face and looked at them shocked to see that her knuckles were bruised and her fingers bloody. Gingerly she tried to get up, all her muscles and joints screaming with pain. Ash quickly moved to help her, patiently and carefully offering her a hand. "I want to see," Willa said. Ash helped her to the bathroom and closed the door as he stepped out.

Willa found that she was wearing a robe, and as she looked in the full length mirror on the wall, she untied the robe and let it fall away. In the mirror was a woman Willa didn't recognize. Her red hair was matted with dried blood, there were several cuts on her face, a large gash at the hairline, her lips were battered and swollen, her eyes were black with bruises. On her neck there were two distinct bruises on either side that where made by someones hands around her throat. Hand shaped bruises covered her arms, legs and breasts. On the left breast there was bite marks. Her knees were cut and scraped. She was shocked when she saw the large bruises on the inside of her thighs. She collapsed on a small stool in the corner, unable to breath.

She hid her face in her hands and screamed "NO!" over and over.

The dream images all came flooding in at once, clearer than she wanted. Men grabbing at her, men holding her down, men on top of her. Images of herself in chains, standing naked on a auction block. Images of being bound to a bed in a small room and endless number of men beating and using her. Slamming her head back against the wall and let out a primal scream of pain and rage.

Willa rose as quickly as she could from the stool, turning on the hot water she stepped in and began scrubbing her hair and body. Attempting to wash away the hands and faces that her mind was filled with. Her skin became raw with her own rage, the new pain seemed to calm her; she slowed then collapsed against the wall of the shower letting the hot water run over her abused body. She stood there motionless, lost in a daze.

Suddenly she realized that the water had grown cold. Her body began to shake from cold and emotions, she turned off the water. As she stepped out of the shower she looked at the blood stained robe lying on the floor like a evil creature. She grabbed a towel that was hanging on a hook, wrapping it around her. Willa walked into the other room and was relieved that it was empty. She sat in the chair that Ash had been sitting in and shivered from the cold and rage that filled her mind. Willa realized she wanted a drink, a very strong drink. She began looking around the room.

It was larger than the small pilot quarters she had at Rens VII. There was a small set of cabinets along one wall where one could prepare a meal, nearby was a table and several chairs. In one corner there was a double bed and a desk with a communication terminal. A window covered by a shade was near the desk. Willa started looking through the cabinets, finding a glass and several bottles of liquor. She opened a bottle of tequila and filled the glass. As she took a drink she went over to the window and pulled the shade back. Outside was the interior of a space station dock.

So I am on a ship, and a fairly large one at that, she thought. She took another drink, and started to feel a warmness fill her head. As she took another look around the room she noticed that the furnishings and decorations, even though few were expensive. From the room she couldn't tell what kind of ship it was. Taking another drink she could feel her muscles starting to relax, and the raging images began to dull.

There was a tap at the door. She went and opened it, Ash was standing there with a package in his hand. "I think you may need these," he said handing her the package, then turned and walked away. Willa closed the door and went to the table setting her drink down, she opened the package, new clothes tumbled out on to the table, and she looked at them.

There was a soft leather vest that buckled up the front, made for a woman, with a low front and tight middle, some long leather pants, a shirt of soft fabric, wide belt and some heavy boots. Willa tossed the towel across the back of a nearby chair and dressed. Picking up her drink she went for a refill, then walked out of the room. She looked up and down the corridor and heard someone moving about. She walked toward the sound, not wanting to be alone any longer. Past several blast doors, she came to a large room that seemed to be the bridge. Ash was sitting at a console, looking around the bridge, she still wasn't sure what kind of ship she was on, the technology and setup was definitely not Matari. Ash looked up at her and smiled kindly at her.

"Welcome to my ship," he said.

"What class is this?" she asked.

"Amarrian command ship, it's called a Damnation, not a bad ship for light work," he said with a sarcastic grin.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"We are in the Sinq Laison region right now, but we will be leaving soon," he answered. "I am taking you to Verge Vendor."

"Why?" Willa wondered aloud.

"That's were Jaxx wants you, for now. There is a recorded message in the computer. You can access it over there," he pointed to the com panel nearby.

Willa went over, sat at the terminal and looked at the display. Ash pushed several buttons and the read out changed, displaying a single entry addressed to Willa. She tapped display to access the file and the text came up. Willa sipped on the drink as she read.

_Willa,_

_I am glad that Ash found you. I know what has happened. At this point you probably in no mood to trust anyone, but Ash is a good friend and can be trusted like family. I should have gotten in contact with you sooner, but was waiting for a chance to have a contact approach you when you weren't being watched so closely._

_The people that did this have already been punished, they will never be able to rest without looking over their shoulder. But I have many enemies and your name has been attached to mine, leaving you in danger as long as you are where you can be found easily. _

_That is why I asked Ash to take you out of the Republic and into Gallente Federation territory. I am bringing together a small group of people to operate in High Sec as my representatives. These are all good people that I trust and want to help. Join them, learn your skills and learn from them. Become a pilot that can take care of herself then you are free to do as you wish._

_Fly Safe_

_Jaxx_

"So I am to be an exile too," she said staring into her drink.

Over the next several days Willa learned more from Ash of what she had been through. How he found her in a Caldari Brothel, and purchased her freedom. He was patient and friendly towards her, allowing her to work out her rage and anger. It did help her to know that not only was her aunt hunting the people that had caused Willa pain, but that she had managed to send some back to the clone vats the few times she managed to get loose.

They arrived at Luse a week later, Willa felt like she was ready to step out into the world again. It was time for them to part. As they stood on the gangway Ash handed Willa a gift, "This is from Jaxx," he said. Willa opened the box; in it was a knife and sheath. The knife was large with a tapered double edged blade, on the hilt was a inlay of a black fox. The sheath was worn and old, tooled with classic Matari symbols of her tribe. In the bottom of the box was a card on which was written in Jaxx's elegant handwriting : "This knife was your mothers; the sheath was a gift to her from your father, when you were born."

Willa could feel tears burn at her eyes. This was all she had left of her parents and it was the most precious thing she could ever owned. She put the sheath on her belt and positioned it at a angle in the small of her back. Then shoved the knife inside.

Ash chuckled a little, and shook his head, "You are definitely related."

Willa reached up to give Ash a hug and a light kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for everything." Willa said as she turned to leave.

Ash said "You will need this too," he handed her a data pad.

"What's this?" Willa asked.

"A little something from me," he said smiling then boarded his ship and closed the hatch.

Willa flipped through the data as she walked out of the hanger. On the pad she found title to a Rifter located in one of the Luse hangers and a credit transfer of two million isk to an account in her name at the Garoun Bank in Luse. She turned back to wave to her new friend, just as the hanger bay doors banged closed.


	4. New Recruit

Walking through the station's central trade hub made Willa uneasy. She had never liked crowds, and now even less. Although Luse was not a particularly crowded station there where always several thousand in the main business section of the station. She was also uneasy about her destination today. She had been putting it off for several days, telling herself she needed a few days to settle in before reporting for her new job. Mostly she had sat in her new apartment watching holo-reels and drinking.

She was happy with her new place. She had decided to take some of the isk Ash had given her and rented a mid-sized apartment. With three rooms, it was more than ample for Willa's needs. Even though she was still getting use to the Gallente appliances and technology, she had managed to burn her breakfast again this morning, which had put her in a cross mood. If it wasn't for the crowds she would have preferred to eat at one of the many restaurants on the station.

Taking the lift to the third level she got off and walked towards a row of small offices that circled the atrium of the business center. About halfway around she came to a door where a maintenance man was painting a sign MC KENNAN CLAN on the glass door. "Well this is it." she thought. The sign painter moved to let her enter, she stepped inside.

The front office wasn't much to look at, just a desk and a few used chairs along one wall. While she stood there looking around a Caldari woman came through a door at the back of the office.

"Hello" she said in a flat tone.

"I'm Willa, Jaxx sent me." Willa stated.

"Figured as much." she said under her breath, holding out her hand. "I'm Asa Silas, the junior accountant for the corporation."

"Nice to meet you Asa." Willa replied, She was trying to keep this little woman from pissing her off.

Asa wasn't a small woman from a Caldari point of view, standing about 170 centimeters tall, but to Willa's 190 centimeters, she had to look up at the towering Willa. Asa was a very attractive woman, even with a shaved head. She had pale silver-blue eyes, a shapely body and always dressed in professional clothes. Asa managed to turn heads when she was in public.

Asa had heard a little about Willa in the week, after the CEO had announced that there was a new corporation member that would be arriving soon. Minmatar were not Asa's favorite race, and Brutors the least of all, even though she did support the Republic's cause. Willa's arrival had been known to the corporation, yet Asa couldn't understand why Willa didn't report the next day to headquarters, now it was three days later. Willa had the smell of liquor on her breath at this early hour, and looked like she had been a bar room brawl recently. Not exactly the kind of person Asa would hire for the corporation's security section. Even though the other security personal were Minmatar, they seemed more responsible than the woman standing before Asa.

"Well, since you are here you will need to fill out some forms first. Then you need to talk to the boss" Asa informed Willa in a all business manner. "After that we can go over the corporation's policies and let you meet everyone." Asa turned, went to a drawer in the desk, pulled out a writing tablet that contained several forms, and handed it to Willa. Asa pointed to the used chairs along the wall, then seated herself behind the desk and turned on the com terminal, ignoring Willa.

"Bitch." Thought Willa as she sat down. She sat filling out the forms, looking up several times at Asa, who seemed to be ignoring her. Willa had never been fond of the Caldari, since her recent incident she had a deep seated hatred for them. If it weren't for Jaxx basically ordering her here, she would have already walked out. Willa finished filling in the forms, stepped up to the desk and dropped it in front of Asa. Asa picked up the pad and went to the door to the back offices, Willa followed her. Passed the door was a large central room with offices around the outside. Several were empty and some had people sitting at desk. Asa went to the first one on left side.

Through the glass Willa could see a rather over weight older man sitting behind his desk. He looked up from his terminal and waved them in. Asa opened the door, motioning Willa to go in. After Willa entering Asa shut the door with a slam behind her as she walked to one of the other offices. Willa took a seat in one of the chairs nearby, waiting for the man to finish his conversation.

"... I know you were making money Jack but when you go to low sec in an un-escorted ship you are bound to get blown up." The man listened to the person he was talking to on his ear piece. "I know it pisses you off, go buy a shuttle and get back here and we can talk, I think help just arrived, have to go." With that he disconnected and looked at Willa. "Expected to see you sooner." he said to her.

Willa started to answer, he interrupted her. "Don't want any explanation or excuses, you are here now, are you ready to go to work?" he asked.

Willa looked him in the eye and said, "Yes!"

"That's all I need to know," he said. He stood and reached across the desk offering Willa his hand. "Name's Howard Taft, I'm the boss around here till I can train someone to take over."

Willa stood and shook his hand, "Willa Murdoc, I'm glad to have a job."

Howard sat back in his high backed office chair, "We are family here, in fact I believe that some of your kin all ready work here. So rule number one, protect your family and rule number two, make money for the family. You think you can live with that Willa?" he asked.

"Yes, I can Mr. Taft." she answered.

"No, mister please just call me Howard, you will learn that we are not a very formal organization here, so no formalities." he told Willa. She nodded that she understood and smiled. Howard activated the com system, through the walls she could hear his voice filling the outer offices. "She's here folks, come up to the conference room, and met our newest member." Howard then rose from his chair and lead Willa out of the office to the large central room.

People were filing into the room, some Minmatar some Gallente, and Asa was standing along the wall away from the gathering. One that Willa noticed right away was a very tall Brutor male, that was in a mechanic jumpsuit and covered in coolant and grease. He was wiping his hands on a rag and stuffed it in a pocket.

"Dunein!" Willa said as she walked rapidly across the room. Willa wrapped her arms around him and give him a huge and peck on the check.

"Willa, nice to see you again. Welcome to The Clan." He said hugging her back and smiling. Dunein was one of Willa's kinsmen from the Mc Kennan side of the family, they were either third or fourth cousins, depending on whom one asked. When Willa was little, she and Dunein would often play together when there were family gatherings.

"Willa, I want you to met my fiancée" Dunein said as Willa let go of him. Standing next to him was a beautiful Brutor woman. "Willa this is Trinity Ann." "Nice to meet you." Willa and Trinity greeted each other, with a hug.

"I will introduce you to the others." Dunein said. He took her around the room and made the introductions. There was Sunshine Sally, a miner barge pilot. Baylen, Dunein's brother that was raised in the Amarrian Throne worlds in slavery, he had recently escaped and was now hiding in Federation territory. The bouncy red headed Gallente mining and refining foreman Urbana Felicia. Asa kept her distance, and Willa was relieved for small favors.

"I see you and Asa have already met" Dunein said with a small smile, like it was and inside joke with Willa. "Yup, jury is still out." Willa replied.

"She isn't as bad as she seems at first." Dunein joked with Willa. "She actually reminds me of you a little bit." he said ribbing Willa further. "Oh I hope not!" Willa frowned at Dunein. "There is one corp member not here." Dunein said changing the subject, "Happyjack, I hear he wandered in to low sec and got another cargo ship blown out from under him." Dunein said chuckling. "He is our manufacturing specialist, and Asa's boyfriend." He finished.

After visiting with the her new corp mates, Howard came to his office door, in a booming voice that didn't need an intercom to be heard, "The isk don't make themselves, Dunein why don't you show Willa the hanger and warehouse. The rest of you, don't you have a mining mission to get ready for?" Howard finished looking straight at Willa "Glad to have you on board, be here 08:00 tomorrow, and be sober!" With that he returned to his office. Willa nodded in his direction in acknowledgment and agreement.

Down in the corp hanger Dunein showed her around, there were several ships, Reapers, a Burst, several Gallente frigates, some Gallente destroyers fitted as poor man's mining vessels, Dunein's Amarrian battle cruiser and a sole Rifter. Willa was too much of a nationalist to fly anything other than the Minmatar ships, and didn't like seeing her brother and sister Matari flying the demon Amarr ships. However she was willing to cut Dunein some slack, because he was raised in Ammatar space and they were the ships he first learned to fly. Wandering over to the Rifter she ran her hand along the long lines and looked at it with the look of a long lost love. "Who's is this?" she asked Dunein.

"Well, it is yours, we found out that there was a ship in your name at the station so we moved it here." Dunein stated. "Yes of course." Willa had forgotten about the gift, from Ash. She might have remembered if she hadn't been drunk for the last three days trying to drown the faces and rage that kept invading her thoughts.

Suddenly Willa had an intense need to be flying again. She quickly looked around the hanger, then she saw Dunein pointing at a door in the back "There are jumpsuits and tools in there, and the modules are in the warehouse." "Kinda figured you would want to put it together when you got here." he said with a smile. Willa quickly walked into the room, donned a set of red coverall and grabbed a tool case.

Several hours later, Trinity came in with some food and drink and the three of them sat and had a picnic in the hanger, laughing and joking about the fact they were all working for a Gallente corp and tales of home. After finishing off the last of the food, as Dunein always did. He hopped up and motioned for Willa to follow. She followed him, he jumped on the crate lift and she climbed on beside him, they took off for another part of the station.

Down a long wide alley, the rode the lift till they came to a large door. Dunein hopped down and swiped his card key. The door rose and the lights flickered on. He motioned Willa to drive the lift into the large cavernous room and walked over to a row of stacked up ship parts. Willa stopped the lift and climbed down, she had never seen an inventory of spare ship parts like this in her life. There were guns, shield modules, frigate armor, mining lasers, overdrives, afterburners and a number of things she couldn't identify. There was Gallente, Caldari, Amarrian and Minmatar technology all mixed together. Dunein started walking down the row and looking at a data pad. "Where did this all come from Dunein" she asked.

"Here and there. Some from trade, some is loot, from belt pirates." He said with a grin.

"Willa what is you rating on warp drive operation?" he shouted at her. "I passed the level II test at the Academy." she shouted back. Willa could hear Dunein talking to himself, but couldn't make out what he was saying. After several minutes he turned and motioned for her to bring the lift down towards him. She did and they started loading assorted parts.

Taking it all back to her ship they began fitting the parts in place, some of Dunein's friends and Baylen wandered in and began helping them. Some one brought some beer, they kept working, joking and visiting. When they finished, it was nearly 01:00 and they were exhausted. "Well you better take it for a test run." Baylen said. Willa wasn't sure she was in any shape to fly, let alone do a maiden voyage in her new ship. "It'll be fine." was the answer she got from the crowd of other men, when she voiced her concerns. "What the hell" she thought. And started her pre-flight prep, climbed into her ship, striped her clothes off, sat in the podm attached her life support systems and ship communication lines into to her implants. Once the pod was sealed, the pod jell began to pump in around her and fill the pod she began to get nervous.

"Stay calm" she thought to herself trying to keep her hands from shaking as she reached for the controls. When her 360 degree display switched on in her ocular implant she could see Dunein's ship was already ready undocking. "Thank god" she thought, now if I have trouble he can at least tow me back. She took the controls in her hands and lifted off. Transmitted her signal for the launch controller and waited as the computer guided her to the exit port. She waited as the docking computer set Dunein up for launch, then it was her turn.

Willa felt the vibration of the engines firing and the thrust against the tractor beam that held her in place until her engine were up to launch speed. The jolt of being released from the tractor startled her, she lost concentration controlling the ships flight path, instead of the fast smooth shot down the exit, she veered left and hit the wall, she tried to correct her course, this Rifter's was more responsive than the one she flew at the academy, setting her on course for the wall on the other side. "Shit!" she thought, "I am going to die trying to get out of this bloody station." She managed to avoid the other wall, but instead clipped something at the end of the chute, throwing her into a flat spin as she exited the station, nearly hitting a mining barge as it was making it's approach to dock.

All she could hear over her com set was Dunein's roaring laughter. "I thought you said you could fly that thing?" he said laughing some more. "Willa, you have to switch to local channel. You are quite the topic of the evening." Dunein said in another round of laughter. Red faced she switched to the local channel, knowing full well, she deserved every barb and joke she was about to receive. One thing all pilots had in common was the inability to let any mistake go unnoticed or punished.

"Damn, I knew minnie ships were shit, now they are catching fire while launching" came the voice of one pilot.

"Where did you get your license there MCKEN, the top of a Quafe box?" said another.

"I thought the circus was in town and this was the trick flying act" came the voice of a third pilot.

Willa listened to the jokes at her expense, the laughter helped her settle her nerves enough to fly up along side Dunein's ship. He signaled her on the corp channel and she switched back.

"Let's do a quick run out to one of the belts and back." then we can call it a night, have to be up in 5 hours, anyway. Set their navigation computers to the nearest asteroid belt and jumped to warp. Willa tested her orbiting controls around a few asteroids then warped back to the station. When they transmitted the docking signal, she received an extra message, "Report to launch control immediately." Willa let the computer dock her and sat the ship down in the hanger. As the pod jell pumped back to the holding tank, she disconnected herself from the ship and life support, opened the pod hatch and reached for a coverall suit from a nearby locker. She had the suit halfway on when there was someone banging on the ship hatch. "What now?" she thought, she was still covered in pod goo and half dressed. She hit the hatch switch and it opened as she finished put the suit on.

A very angry Gallente in a Federation Customs uniform was standing in the hatch way when she looked up. "Pilot, I am Val Natar of the station controller office." "I need to see your pilot's credentials and need you to step out and take a blood test." "My life is turning in to a damn comic tragedy" she thought. Willa did the only thing she could, started laughing, by the time she was stand in the hanger again, she could barely breath. Dunein came over to see what all the laughter was about, and saw the customs officer.

"What's the problem officer?" He asked

"This pilot is obviously drunk, she has caused damage to the station, and nearly hit another ship with that launch of hers. I can not begin to count the number of CONCORD regulations she has broken, not to mention Federation laws." the officer said.

"Sir, can I speak with you in private?" Dunein asked and lead the officer away from where Willa was bent over trying to catch her breath and stop laughing. After a little while Dunein returned and the officer left looking over his shoulder at Willa. Dunein suggested she go clean up and then go to bed.

"What about that?" she said pointing at the officer.

"Don't worry, Howard will take care of it. Your MCKEN now." He said with a devilish grin.

Willa took his advice and went to the pilot's locker room which they shared with pilots from several other small corps. Willa was in regular good humor after cleaning up and receiving a few more jokes, about her "bad ass pilot skillz". Giggling to herself she left for her apartment, knowing that this day would be one she would never forget.


	5. Beyond The Astroid Belts

Beyond the Asteroid Belts

"WILLA!", Happyjack was screaming at her over the fleet channel.

Fuzzy headed from sleep she snapped back, "What!"

"Pirates, are you going to shoot them?" Happyjack said excitedly.

Willa checked her overview, there were two belt rats firing on Happyjack and his shields were down fifty percent. "Stop panicking," she growled back. She was already in orbit around Happyjack's Iteron III hauler. She switched on the targeting computer, changed her flight path to approach the hostile ships and fired up the afterburners. In a matter of seconds she was on top of them, orbiting at close range and had target lock. A few burst of the auto-cannons and a volley from the missile launcher an the first pirate ship exploded. She went after the second one, it was over in a matter of seconds as the ship disappeared in a brilliant explosion. Willa checked her time code, it had been over four hours since the last rat attack, and it hadn't been any more difficult than this one.

She guided her ship towards the wrecks, checking to see if there was anything of value she could loot. All she found was an old mining laser and some hybrid ammo that was of no use to her. She took it anyway, she could always sell it, for a few extra isk. It seemed she always needed more money these days, most of her money that Ashihei had given her was gone, spent on skill books and ship equipment. With her expenses and the fact that she couldn't mine and get a paycheck, she was barely getting by.

"Target, Shoot, Loot, Repeat." she said to no one in particular over the corp channel.

"What took so long?" Happyjack demanded.

"I was washing my hair," Willa answered sarcastically. Sitting in a pod full of bio jell it would have been a worthless endeavor she mused to herself.

"One of these days, you are going to get jumped, while you are asleep at the helm," Happyjack scolded.

"Is this the voice of experience talking?" Willa retorted. She was extremely bored. She had been on this mining operation for over 20 hours, picking a fight with her corp mate was all she had to keep herself awake. Willa got a particular kick out of goading Happyjack, because it also pissed off his uppity Caldari bitch of a girl friend Asa.

"Will you two stop it," Baylen's broke in begging, he was in his Retriever mining barge and transferring the ore to the Iteron.

"Yes, stop it you two sound like a pack of hounds going at it," came the voice of Sunshine Sally, who was also flying a Retriever. At times Willa felt sorry for Baylen and Sally, they were always busy when the mining lasers were running. They had to keep track of their cargo holds, transfer the contents to the hauler before they filled, monitor the sentry drones and listen to her and Happyjack pick on each other.

"Where we at, Baylen?" Willa asked, "About done?"

"Yeah, finish off this rock and we can go back," he replied.

About an hour later Baylen finished off the final rock, transferred the load to the Iteron and aligned the fleet to the station. They all jumped to warped together and arrived at station together. Willa let the others dock, while she stood by, then she docked. Willa opened the hatch to her Rifter, not bothering to put on a pair of coveralls and walked naked across the hanger to the corp locker room. She had given up on modesty a few months before, when walking from her ship to the locker room. Her male corp mates were getting accustomed to her walking through the hanger naked and usually just ignored her. Only Asa seemed to care, she had a royal fit the first time she saw the tall naked Willa coming out of the locker room and getting in her ship. All the reason Willa needed to keep doing it. Sometimes she would have fun when someone other than a corp member was in the hanger, and gave them a devilish grin as they stared at her. She loved seeing some of the younger pilots and mechanics, blush red and turn away from her.

After a nice long hot shower to wash the pod goo from her body, Willa stepped out. Howard Taft her boss, was sitting on the bench near the showers. Willa acted like he wasn't there and began drying herself and getting dressed. "What can I do for you boss?" she asked.

"You do have a way of causing a stir, woman," he answered. "Happyjack was just in my office, complaining how you keep falling asleep out on mining operations. Asa is in particular fine form today, raising hell about you and some missing booze from the trade hanger. Then there is this whole walking around the hanger naked. It is beginning to cause a stir with the other corps that dock across the way from us. I guess a rookie over there dropped a tool case on a buddy when he saw you get out of your ship the other day. The guy had to be hauled off to the medical clinic."

Willa listened trying not to smile about the trouble she was causing, as she pulled on her pants, slipped into her shirt and buckled up her vest. Then it occurred to her that she may have gone too far and that is what had brought Howard out of his office this time. "Damn, " she though "so this is the point were I get fired." She buckled on her knife belt and put on her boots. Finished dressing she stood up straight in front of Howard and looked him straight in the eyes and asked, "So you want me to leave?"

"In a sense yes," he answered. "I want you to stay with McKennan Corp, but I think we can find you something to do where you would be happier, and a little less of a disturbance to the corp." Pausing a moment, "How would you feel about mission running for the corporation?" he asked. "We could use the improved security status that this kind of work will bring us. You can choose where you want to be, and still have the protection and assistance of this corporation and all that implies. I have already spoken to your aunt about this and she agrees with me that you are ready to start taking on some harder work than what you have been doing." Howard finished saying.

"Do I have time to think on this?" Willa asked. She was a little hesitant to jump on the offer, because of her last experience with agent missions. She needed time to think and get her head wrapped around the idea of being out there as a solo mission runner.

"Sure, take sometime off and think about it," Howard said, "I want you to know that I have contacts at Federation Customs, and I can get you some good jobs to start with through them. None of that low sec risky stuff, you did for the Brutor Tribe either, good work," he answered without her asking the question.

"I'll think it over," Willa said as she grabbed her gear bag out of her locker and walked out. By habit she walked to a small out of the way cafe that was near the hangers and sat down in her favorite booth, in a far dimly lit corner. Ordered a meat pie and beer and waited for the server to return with her food. Willa came to this cafe all the time. It was usually empty except for her and they served good Matari food, unlike some of the other Minmatar owned restaurants on the station, which seemed to bland down the food to appeal to a wider clientele.

The waiter returned with her pie and beer. Willa sat for a moment, inhaling the rich spicy aroma of her meat pie, then savored a sip of the dark strong flavored beer, suddenly she realized that she missed home. Willa missed her clan and fellow Minmatar, even though there were plenty in this system and many of her kin worked with her, it wasn't the same as feeling like she belonged to the place. She wanted friends that she understood and that understood her. She wanted a place where she didn't feel like she had to keep herself under control all the time. Willa sat and slowly consumed her meal savoring and enjoying each bite as she thought about home. When she finished she paid the waiter and went to her apartment. For the first time in months she laid down and went to sleep without first drinking herself into unconsciousness.

Howard Taft was surprised to see Willa sitting in his office when he came in the next morning. He settled his large body in his oversized leather office chair and studied Willa, there was something different about her this morning and he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He was pretty sure that she hadn't been drinking and that she wasn't hungover, which was a first for Howard. In all the months that he had known Willa he had never seen her when she wasn't either drunk or hungover. She also didn't look wrapped so tight but rather more relaxed and had a look of a sadness in her eyes.

"What can I do for you, Willa?" he asked.

Willa looked down at her hands folded in her lap, let out a sigh then looked at Howard and answered, "I want the job you offered."

"You don't seem entirely sure about this," he replied

"I'm sure, just ah... I don't know," Willa hesitated a moment then abruptly said, "I'm scared." Her words surprised Willa as much as Howard. She had never admitted to anyone that she was afraid of anything, yet here she had just said it to a man she barely knew. Willa looked away from Howard as she tried to keep him from seeing the fear she felt inside.

"Willa, I don't know what kind of trouble you got into before, but I assure you that if there is anyone that can handle this job, it is you," Howard said in a fatherly tone.

Willa looked back at Howard and smiled weakly, "Thanks, that means a lot coming from you," she said.

Howard reached over and connected his communication channel, "We will take care of this right now," he told her. He connected to someone on the other end and talked for a while. Willa ignored the conversation, she was too absorbed in her own thoughts.

"Willa," Howard said as he disconnected the com channel.

Her attention snapped back from abyss her mind had been staring into, "What?" she asked.

"It is all set up, you can start anytime. Just go down to the Federation Customs office and get your orders." He said.

"But what about the thing with CONCORD?" she asked.

"Taken care of," he replied with a little grin. "I have been around a long time and have a few good connections. So it wasn't too hard to have someone hit a delete command on that notation." he said with a little chuckle.

Willa smiled at Howard, she felt a little better. "Maybe this might work out after all." she thought to herself, without damn CONCORD looking over her shoulder and working for Gallente Customs she might just get the kind of work she needed to cover her expenses and get a little excitement in the process. She thanked Howard and left his office. She started walking aimless around the station, deep in her own thought and trying to get a hold of her fears.

After about an hour of walking she realized that she was in a part of the station she had never been before, an alley at took off from the main business center and went towards one of the secondary docking bays. About half way down the alley there was a door open and the sound of laughter coming from inside. Willa walked near the door and heard the voices of men and laughter, and something else, the voices all had Matari accents. She sat down on a crate near the door and listened.

"What's on everyone's plate for tonight?" asked the first man.

"Wasting away in Margarita-ville" sang a second man.

"Spaghetti and meatballs," answered a third, he continued "so, two Amarr priests walked into a bar..."

"What the hell are you talking about, Auk?" interrupted the second man, "Amarrian priests in a bar?"

"What did the slaver say before he was jettisoned into space?" the forth man asked.

"What Teddy?" asked fifth man.

"Don't know couldn't hear him over my music," the forth man said roaring with laughter.

The whole room broke out in laughter, as did Willa sitting on her crate outside the door. That was the first time in months that Willa had a good hearty laugh. She wasn't quite ready to join in the fun herself but she felt better, got up and returned to her apartment. She spent the rest of the day going over information on where Federation Customs operated and the recent news from COSMOS News Agency. She finished her day back at her favorite cafe, eating another savory meat pie and sipping on a glass of dark beer. Then she went home and went to bed. Willa fell asleep with a sense of peace that she hadn't had in a very long time.

As she slept, she had a dream of a flock of water birds landing on a large lake, and taking off again in a mass so large that they filled the sky. As she stood on the shore one swam toward her and looking at her. The look from this creature gave Willa a chill up her spine that was both exciting and terrifying. As she returned the creatures gaze, a demanding voice filled her mind, "Come fly with me Willa!"

A great pain filled her heart as she answered back, "I can't find you." She awoke with a start, her heart was racing and body was trembling. Willa tried to shake it off, but the feelings were too real, she laid awake for a long time trying to forget the look she had seen in her dream and feelings she couldn't shake off. Exhaustion finally won over her thoughts and brought sleep once again.


End file.
